MSU News & Notes | Thursday, October 18, 2012

A quick list of today's News and Notes to get your Thursday kicked off right, alright? Alright, alright, alright /mcconaughey'd

• The biggest news from yesterday was from AL.com on the SEC's 2013 football conference schedule. Jon Solomon reported yesterday that the SEC may be looking to shake up the cross-conference permanent opponents shared between East and West opponents in the conference. The shake up is part of the conference's effort to get the kinks worked out of schedule after new members Texas A&M and Missouri came aboard. For Mississippi State, that means it may not be a home game with Kentucky next season, as the Wildcats are our designated East permanent opponent. The good news is that the SEC says it will most likely release the 2013 conference schedule soon, but only the 2013 one, as they continue to work out future season schedules beyond next fall.
• Yesterday a few of the media got a chance to talk with senior guard Jalen Steele from the MSU men's basketball team. Steele talked about the off-season focus, where we may see some players line up this season, and the pressure he and Wendell Lewis feel to perform (which he likes). It's commendable to see how Jalen has carried himself in the situation that has unfolded with the team since March. He had a chance to run like the others, but he chose to stick around, and that is quite an honorable thing.
• Tyler Russell was named to the Manning Award mid-season watch list yesterday, the school announced. The Manning Award is one of the few postseason awards that takes into consideration a candidate's performance in the full season as well as his team's bowl game.
• TE Marcus Green, who earlier in the week was named to the John Mackey Award mid season watch list, was yesterday named the Mackey Award TE of the week for his 2 TD performance against Tennessee last Saturday. This is actually Green's second time this year to receive the award; he did so after a 2 TD performance against Auburn earlier this year as well.
• Everyone covets the 7 game home football schedule each college football season, and yesterday Mississippi State took a step towards making that a reality for the 2013 season. The athletics department announced the addition of a September 7, 2013 game with Alcorn State at home, which would replace a previously scheduled road game in Birmingham against UAB. The dogs will now get their cake and be able to eat it too, enjoying a schedule that features a marquee neutral site game to open the season as well as 7 home games. Now the attention turns to the above mentioned 2013 SEC conference schedule, which will determine if State really does get the chance to have 7 home games. Right now State would have Kentucky, Alabama, LSU, and Ole Miss at home, to go along with non conference foes Alcorn St., Troy, and Bowling Green. We should find out soon if that sticks.
• Always enjoy reading The Numerical by Bill Connelly, and again, a suggested read.
• The Mississippi roster was announced yesterday for the annual Mississippi - Alabama All Star game. I'd link it here, but we'll have a post up on it shortly, including which MSU commits and targets were invited to the game.
• The greatest battle for ALL OF THE MOVING PIXELISH LOLS continued yesterday as #GIFDUEL2012 rages on between Good Bull Hunting's Cuppy Cup and LSUFreek, both respected GIFsmen. Only one will win, but seriously don't we all win when they battle?
• I love this - Penn State coach Bill O'Brien invents SPACEBOOK.

That's it for today folks. Hope you have a great one!